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College News

Tennessee renames hospital after founding veterinary dean

Posted March 15, 2006

The University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine recently renamed its teaching hospital in honor of its founding dean, Dr. W.W. Armistead.

The state retained Dr. Armistead as a consultant in 1973 to develop a report on the need for a veterinary college in Tennessee. He completed his career at the university as vice president for agriculture before retiring in 1987.

Previously, Dr. Armistead had served as dean of the veterinary colleges at Michigan State and Texas A&M universities. He served as president of the AVMA from 1957-1958. He is also a past president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and founding editor of the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

During World War II, Dr. Armistead served as a captain in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1938.

Correction: The online version of this document contains a correction. Corrected text is shown in bold above.

Florida dean leaves to head Tennessee agriculture

Dr. Joseph A. DiPietro is the new vice president for agriculture at the University of Tennessee, leaving his prior position as dean of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. James P. Thompson is serving as interim dean.

Dr. DiPietro will oversee operations at the Tennessee Institute of Agriculture—which includes the university's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension program.

At the University of Florida, Dr. DiPietro was dean of the veterinary college for nine years. He has held a multitude of positions within the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and he became president of the AAVMC last summer.

Previously, Dr. DiPietro had served as associate dean for research at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and assistant director of that institution's agricultural experiment station. He has also conducted research on parasitic diseases in horses, cattle, and swine.

Dr. DiPietro has been a member of many boards and committees for groups including the American Association of Equine Practitioners. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1976.

At the University of Florida, Dr. Thompson has been the veterinary college's associate dean of students and instruction since 1996. The interim dean joined the faculty in 1986 after completing a residency there in small animal internal medicine.

Dr. Thompson graduated in 1981 from the University of Florida. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists.

Alumnus donates $1 million for Auburn professorship

Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine recently received a donation of $1 million from alumnus Dr. Bruce Pratt to endow a professorship.

The Dr. Bruce Pratt Distinguished Professorship in Veterinary Medicine will be within the Department of Clinical Sciences, which includes the large- and small-animal teaching hospitals and a radiology section.

A 1953 graduate, Dr. Pratt operated Holly Hall Animal Hospital in Beaufort, S.C., until retiring in 1993. Earlier, he had served in the U.S. Air Force for three years.

He inherited the $1 million that he donated from his grandparents. His grandfather was one of the founders of Feenamint, a laxative manufacturer, which later became part of Schering-Plough, the pharmaceutical company. Dr. Pratt's grandmother founded the Rockland County, N.Y., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.